Machine for flanging or hemming edges of tin plates



" f 2 sheets-sheet 1.

J.- G. HODGSON. MACHINE POR PLANGING 0R HEMMING-EDGES OF TIN PLATES, 650. Patented July 3,' 1894.

(No Model.)

7/fhefssfesf (No Modell) AMACHINE PoR FLANGING 0R HEMMING EDGES 0F TINPLATBS, sw.- No. 522,254.

Patented July 3, 1894.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN G. HODGSON, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR TOIEDWIN NORTON, OF SAME PLACE, AND OLIVER WV. NORTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR FLANGING 0R HEMMING EDGES 0F TIN PLATES, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,254,6.ated July 3, 1894. Application filed July 23, 1892. Renewed March I4, 1894. Serial No. 503.555. (Noinodel.)` Y

To all whom it may concern:

'1 3e it known that I, JOHN G. HoDGsoN, a c1t1zen of the United States, residing in Maywood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinols, have invented la new and useful Improvement in Machines for Flanging or I-Iemming the Edges -of Tin Plates or other Metallic Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for Hanging or hemming the edges of tin plates or other metallic sheets.

The object of my invention is to' provide a,

machine of a simple, efficient and durable construction by means of which the two marginal edges of sheet metal blanks or sheets may be accurately and perfectly iianged and folded so as to leave the folded or hemmed edges of the sheets straight and true and parallel to each other and at right angles to the ends of the sheet.

To this end my invention consists in connection with a set offlanging and edge fold- 1ng or hemming rollers arranged at an angle or inclination to the horizon, of a set of feed and guiderollers similarly inclined, the guide flanges of which are'slightly stepped in respect to each other, so that as the sheet is fed and guided thereby to the set of edge folding and flanging rollers the sheet will enter the iirst pair of rollers at a slight angle and thus compensate for the natural tendency of the sheet, especially if it is a long one, to pass more freely and faster at its upper edge than its lower edge between the pairs of rollers; vand thereby cause the sheet to pass straight and squarely through between the several `pairs of inclined edge flanging and folding rollers. I have found by practical experience on attempting to iiange and fold the edges of sheets of any considerable length, that where the set of a single feed and guide rolls-are ar? ranged with all their guide flanges in the same straight line with the corresponding flanges of the pairs of rolls constituting the second set, it is practically impossible to cause the sheet toI pass straight and squarely through,

the machine, the result being imperfect work and the spoiling of many sheets or blanks, the edges of which are attempted to be flanged and folded. This I think is due, or may be due, to the fact that the lower edge of the sheet, passing as the sheet does in an inclined position through the machine, encounters greater, resistance in passing the pairs of rolls constituting the second or operative set of the machine than does the upper edge of the inclined sheet, and consequently the sheet, when its front end or edge strikes the first pair of rolls tends to lift up slightly at its rear end and thus assume a slight angle to its normal and proper path through the edge folding and ilangingrolls; but whatevermay be the cause of this peculiar operation of the machine when the rst or single set of feed and l guide rolls 'are arranged in the same straight line with the corresponding dan ge of the double rolls or pairs of rolls, I have` discovered that the defect may be cured and the machine rendered practical and successful by simply arranging ythe first or4 single set ofA rolls with their guide anges slightly stepped as to each other,so that the sheet is directed to the second set of -rolls at a slight angle or inclination, as by this means when the front end or edge of they sheet strikes the first pair of rolls, the rear end of the sheet will simply lift sufficiently. to bring the edges of thesheet into straight linewith the lsecond or double set of rolls. After the sheet hasthus entered between the pairs of rolls constituting, the second set, the rear end of the sheet being unsupported by the guide anges'of` the first or single set of feed rolls, the vweight of this endn of the sheet -tends` also to keep thel sheet passing in a straight line between thepairs of edge flanging and folding rolls.

In the accompanying drawings, which forml a part of this specification land in which similar-letters of reference indicatelike parts,

Figure l is a face View looking at right angles to the plane of the inclined rolls of the machine embodying vmyinvention'. Fig.'2 is is an end view. showing `the feed end ofthe machine, and one of the single set'of feed or v .guide rolls. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 ofFig. 1 and showing one of the pairs of the double set or operative setof rolls. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the several stages or operations performed bythe successive pairs of edge Hanging or folding rolls,

lOO

- Fig. 9 showing of course a cross section of the completed product, that is to say, the edge-folded or hemined sheet or blank.

In the drawings A represents the frame of the machine which may be of any suitable or well known construction.

B is the set of inclined sheet feed and guide rolls, the same being simply single rolls upon which the sheet liesin aninclined position with its lower edge resting against the guide iian ges b with which each of the rolls Bris provided, except the last or inner one. This last roll of the set B is designated by the letter B' for the sake of distinction from the other rolls B which` have guide flanges. The rolls B are arranged with their guide flanges IJ in a slightly stepped position in respect to each other, so that the line or roll of guide flanges b of all the rolls B taken together will be at a slight angle to the corresponding flanges or collars d of the succeeding or operative set of pairs of rolls D between which the sheet passes and by which its edges are flanged and folded. The rolls D have bending flanges or collars CZ which fit in corresponding grooves or channels d which serve to form the flanges c upon the sheet O and to bend or incline said fianges as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and to finally fold said flanges down snugly upon the sheet, as shown in Fig. 9. The collars d on the rolls D are furnished with beveled faces, the angle or bevel increasing with each successive pair of rolls, as is clearly indicated by Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The first pair of the double set of rolls D, and which for s ake of distinction is marked D', is simply to perform the ofhce of guiding and feeding the sheet, and the upper roll of this pair is provided with a collar or fiange CZ only at its lower end. The rolls D2 of the last pair of said rolls D is simply for the purpose of delivering the sheet from the machine and has no fiange or collar.

F represents the driving gears by which the rolls are driven and F the adjusting screws upon which the end of the roller shaft rests and is supported and by which the rolls are adjusted so that their flanges d and CZ may be in proper relation to each other, as hereinbefore described. The boxes or journals H of the upper rolls of the double set D fit adj ustably in suitable guides H on the frame, and adjusting screws 7L 7L are provided so that the requisite pressure may be exerted between the upper and lower rolls of each pair D.

I claim- 1. In a machine for flangin g and folding the edges of metallic sheets or blanks, the combination with a set of pairs of inclined edge Hanging and folding rollers, of a set of single similarly inclined feed and guide rollers having their guide flanges slightly stepped in relation to each other, so that the sheet is presented or fed to the double set of rolls of pairs of rolls at a slight angle, whereby the sheet is made to pass in such inclined position straight and accurately through the machine, the axes of all said rolls being arranged at an angle to the horizontal so that the sheet is caused to pass in an inclined position through the machine substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a set of inclined sheet fianging and edge folding rollers .of means for feeding the sheet thereto in an 1nclined position and at a slight angle to the direction or path at which the sheet is to pass through said flanging rolls, the axes of all said rolls being arranged at an angle to the horizontal so that the sheet is caused to pass in an inclined position through the machine substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a set of pairs of inclined flanging and edge folding rolls D having rollers or flangesd and countering grooves or shoulders d', said set comprising a first pair of rolls one of which has a collar at its lower end only, and a set of single feed and guide rolls B having stepped guide fianges or collars Z), substantially as specified.

4t. The combination of a set of pairs of 11iclined flanging and edge folding rolls D having rollers or ianges d and countering grooves or shoulders CZ', said set comprising a first pair of rolls, one of which has a collar at its lower end only, and a set of single feed and guide rolls B having stepped guide flanges or collars Z2, said set of rolls B comprising a final one B' having no flange or collar, substan-` tially as specified.

5. In a machine for Hanging and folding the edges of metallic sheets or blanks, the com bination with a set of pairs of inclined flangmg and edge folding rollers, of a set of single similarly inclined feed and guide rollershaving their guide flanges slightly stepped inrelation to each other, so that the sheet is presented or fed to the double set of rolls or pairs of rolls at a slight angle, whereby the sheet 1s made to pass in an inclined position straight and accurately through the machine, and adjusting screws F for adjusting said rolls in proper relation to each other, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a set of pairs of inclined Hanging and edge folding rollers D between which the sheet passes and its edges fianged and folded down flat upon itself, of a set of feed and guide rolls for delivering the sheets to said pairs of rolls, the axes of all said rolls being arranged at an angle to the horizontal so that the sheet is caused to pass in an inclined position through the machine substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a set of' pairs of inclined fianging and edge folding rollers D between which the sheet passes and its edges fianged and folded down flat upon itself, of a set of feed and guide rolls for delivering the sheets to saidpairs of rolls, the first pair of said rolls D being feed and guide rolls furnished with aflange or collar at its lower end thereof, only, the axes of all said rolls being arranged at an angle to the horizontal so that the sheet is caused to pass in an inclined pothe sheet is caused to pass in an inclined position through the machine substantially as sition through the machine substantially as lo specified. specified.

8. The combination with an inclined set of 5 pairs of edge Hanging andfolding rolls D, of

a similarly inclined set of single feed and Witnesses: y guide rolls B, the axes of allsaid rolls being H. M. MUNDAY, arranged at an angle to the horizontal so that EMMA HACK.

JOHN G. HODGSON. 

